Developing a Framework for Research in Online K-12 Distance Education

The long-term effect and influence of educational experiences on K-12 learners necessitates empirical research of innovations and discoveries in the field prior to their implementation in the classroom. Online distance education is such an innovation because demand and enthusiasm for its implementations continues to grow. However, more rigorous empirical research remains a commonly cited need by scholars in the field. A conceptual research framework, which could lead to the development of other theoretical frameworks, may advance the field of online K-12 distance education. In this article we propose a categorized conceptual research framework with 9 components: learners, teachers, materials, delivery, methodology, evaluation, administration, international, and history. A survey of current research provides the foundation for the framework categories. The categories lend structure to the framework allowing relationships among concepts to be defined and discovered as well as providing a direction for future research and investigations.